CHELSEA co-owner Todd Boehly has apologised after furious fans blasted him over allowing Ted Lasso producers to alter a tribute to the legendary Ray Wilkins on their show.
The hit comedy programme’s main character Lasso is an American coach that has been appointed as fictional Premier League club AFC Richmond.
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It is now in its third series and another much-loved character Kent – who is modelled on nonsense pundit and Manchester United legend Roy Keane – returned to his former side Chelsea, where he enjoys legendary status, in the story.
He is now assistant manager at AFC Richmond and in the latest episode the Blues fans show their appreciation for him with a banner in the stands.
It read: “They don’t make them like Roy anymore.”
But upon further inspection it transpired that the producers of the show had in fact doctored a banner dedicated to the late Chelsea club legend Wilkins.
The former England, Manchester United, PSG and AC Milan ace died aged 61 in 2018 after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Wilkins made over 200 appearances for Chelsea during his six years at the club from 1973 and he also enjoyed spells there as assistant manager to Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti.
Following his death the West London club unveiled a banner in his honour which is still on display at home games today that reads: “They don’t make them like Ray anymore.”
Since the episode aired on Apple TV fans slammed both the club’s owners and the rest of the hierarchy as well as the TV show itself.
Now Boehly has taken to Twitter to issue a grovelling apology to those offended and says that the agreement was made under previous owner Roman Abramovich’s regime in the first financial quarter of 2022.
He wrote: “We had nothing to do these arrangements.
“The deal w/ apple was struck in 1Q/22. We are sorry it affected so many and mostly we care about Ray and his family.
“We would also point out that none of the ‘Chelsea’ players were actual Chelsea players. Hopefully, that was clear.”
Fans expressed their anger on Twitter, with one writing: “NOW THIS is disgusting. Incredibly disrespectful to edit a banner of the late Ray Wilkins. Hugely concerning and embarrassing to think that Chelsea would have sanctioned this.”
Another tweeted: “Yeah this ain’t it, all for Chelsea and it’s likeness being used in Ted Lasso but Ray Wilkins is a Chelsea legend who can’t even consent to his banner being changed. How they thought this would go down well I’ll never know….”
While another raged: “This is absolutely disgusting, editing over the Ray Wilkins banner to “Roy” for a TV publicity stunt with Ted Lasso, extremely disrespectful.”
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